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Sharing knowledge is key to the Commodity Classic experience, and this year’s attendees will have an opportunity to discover what efforts are being undertaken to address water management challenges within the Mississippi River Watershed. Harald (Jordy) Jordahl, Director of America’s Watershed Initiative (AWI) will lead a discussion of private sector partners who are working together to craft meaningful improvements that look at the social, economic and environmental stability of the Mississippi River and its major tributaries.

“The demands on the Mississippi River watershed are growing due to increasing demands for water and productivity, crumbling infrastructure, habitat loss and the expansion of the hypoxic ‘dead zone’ in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Jordahl. “But finding solutions to these challenges is even tougher because the watershed includes parts of 31 states and thousands of local governments and agencies. Any improvements to America’s watershed will require different groups and users – both private and public – to work together.” The discussion will focus on the collaboration to promote innovation and best practices, direct investments aimed at developing a ‘New Watershed Economy,’ and efforts to raise the grade of the Mississippi River Watershed Report Card by 2020. Jordahl will be joined by Max Starbuck from the NCGA and Larry Clemens, Agriculture Program Director for The Nature Conservancy.